Epicurus & Cicero (2018)

A lecture on Epicureanism, focused on texts by Epicurus and Cicero, for an Introduction to Philosophy course at the University of British Columbia in Vancouver, BC, Canada in January 2018.

Editable, PPTX version can be found here:
http://dx.doi.org/10.17613/M6H541

Philosophy
Epicurus

Transcript

1. Epicurus & Cicero PHIL 102, UBC Christina Hendricks Spring 2018 Bust of Epicurus from the Pergamon Museum, Berlin, uploaded to Wikimedia Commons by Captmondo, licensed CC BY-SA 3.0 Except images licensed otherwise, this presentation is licensed CC BY 4.0
2. Timeline Socrates: 469-399 BCE Plato: 427-348 BCE Epicurus: 341-271 BCE Cicero: c. 106-43BCE (Roman) Roman copy of a bust of Epicurus, after a lost Greek original, Wikimedia Commons, public domain
3. Macedonia & Greece, 336 BCE Much of Greece conquered by Philip of Macedon (Father of Alexander the Great) Map of Macedonia, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY SA 2.5
4. Alexander the Great’s empire, 334-323 BCE Macedon Empire, Wikimedia Commons, licensed CC BY SA 3.0
5. Texts we’re reading • Epicurus: “Letter to Menoeceus”: a letter by Epicurus to someone named Menoeceus, telling him how to live a good life • Epicurus: “Principal Doctrines”: a list of short sayings by Epicurus, designed to be easily remembered and put into practice • Cicero: Selections from De Finibus Book 1: a dialogue that includes multiple philosophical views prevalent in Rome at the time
6. Epicurus: epistemology Epicurus is an empiricist • the original source of information for knowledge is experience • Either from sensation of things outside of us or experience of our own thoughts & feelings Icons by stephanie kadam, from Noun Project, licensed CC BY 3.0
7. Epicurus: Physics Argument: why, for Epicurus, • the universe is made up only of matter and void (emptiness) • matter is made up of smallest particles called “atoms” This argument will be on the document camera on screen in class next week
8. Gods & the soul The gods do not control the universe; it works on its own through principles of physics There is no such thing as an immaterial, immortal soul o The soul is made of matter: atoms o Soul & body bound together; soul cannot operate outside body Hermes, Dionysos, Ariadne & Poseidon, in the Louvre, from Wikimedia Commons, Public Domain
9. With winter comes death, Flickr photo by Keith Trice, licensed CC BY 2.0 Epicurus on death Outline Epicurus’ argument in Letter to Menoeceus, first paragraph under “Don’t fear death” Discuss the strength/weakness of this argument in discussion classes this week.
10. Evaluating arguments Questions to ask: 1. Are the premises true? 2. If the premises are true, does the conclusion follow with certainty or with high probability? o Deductive arguments: aim to show that if the premises are true, the conclusion must be true o Inductive arguments: aim to show that if the premises are true, the conclusion is highly probable
11. Why need knowledge of epistemology, physics, gods? To live the best life possible Best human life has the lhighest goodz: • ultimate end/goal of all action • that which is only ever sought as an intrinsic good, not as an instrumental good
12. The highest good For Epicurus, the highest good is pleasure (lLetter to Mz p. 2; Cicero p. 1, 3) Can you think of anything else it might be?
13. Different kinds of pleasure • Kinetic pleasure o pleasure gotten from fulfilling desires (Cicero p. 2) o Problems with this? (Why wouldn’t it be the best pleasure?) • Static pleasure o Pleasure felt when you don’t have unfulfilled desires, when you have well being, lack of pain (“Ltr to M,” p. 2; Cicero p. 2)
14. Goal of life: Ataraxia • having a life with a good deal of static pleasure • lack of physical or mental pain, not having unfulfilled desires, sense of peace and tranquility (lLetter to M,z p. 2) Tabitha the Tabby, Flickr photo shared by Steve Johnson, licensed CC BY 2.0 Buddha statues at Hase-dera, Flickr photo by Andrea Schaffer, licensed CC BY 2.0
15. How to live the best life Natural desires Necessary (Cicero 3-4) Bring pain if not fulfilled; necessary for happiness, health or life itself (Ltr M p. 2); e.g., food, shelter, rest, friendship Unnecessary Need not bring pain if not fulfilled; can get rid of desire fairly easily (Pr Doct #26, 30); e.g., luxurious food & clothing, (sometimes) sex Vain desires come from “baseless opinion” (Pr Doct #29) Always unnecessary; e.g., power, wealth, fame, immortality
16. Friendship important for best life • Principal Doctrines 27 & 28, Cicero p. 6-7 • Why would friends be so important for pleasurable life? • If the highest good is pleasure for oneself, then one seeks friends for one’s own pleasure; can one really have good friendships then? Unspoken, Flickr photo by Marina del Castell, licensed CC BY 2.0
17. Virtues important for best life • Principal Doctrines 5, Letter to M p. 3 • Cicero’s text: moral virtues include wisdom, temperance, courage, justice • Epicurus’ view of justice, Pr. Doctrines 31-38: mutual agreements not to cause or allow harm o Justice is what leads to the most pleasure in various times/places; may be same for all people, or not (there may not be universal rules of justice)
18. Virtues only good b/c ataraxia • Practicing the virtues is only instrumentally good: good because leads to something else that’s good (pleasure, ataraxia) • Being virtuous is not intrinsically good Good b/c leads to Happy face icon by Milky-Digital innovation, from The Noun Project How/why?